Combined lewis and casket rest for burial vaults



Dec. 11, 1934.- w. w. HAASE COMBINED LEWIS AND CASKET REST FOR BURIAL VAULTS Filed Nov. 16, 1931 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II Patented Dec. 11, 1934 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED LEWIS AND CASKET BEST FOR BURIAL VAULTS Wilbert W. Hale, Forest Park,

111., assignor to WilbertW.Haaseo.,ForestPark,lll.,acorporation of Illinois Application November 16, 1931 Serial No. 575,220

4Ciaim8.

This invention relates to vault fittings andmore particularly to a combined lewis and casket rest which is adapted to be permanently imbedded described, which is constructed and arranged to be firmly and securely attached or imbeddedin the material forming the wall of the burial vault.

Yet another object of my invention resides in providing a device of the character described which is not only ornate inappearance but which is constructed to provide the double function of not only supporting the casket in spaced relation from the bottom of the burial vault, but also to provide convenient means by which the vault may be handled in raising or lowering from and into the ground.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a combined lewis and casket rest which not only possesses the useful functions hereinbefore described, but which is also so ornate in appearance as to considerably enhance its salabili as an article of manufacture. Y

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. l is a view partly in section showing a burial vault with the casket supported therein 'upon the combined lewis and tenon fitting;

Fig. 2 is a side view of one form of my com- 'bined lewis and casket rest showing the manner in which it is anchored in the concrete walls of the burial vault;

Fig. 3 is a view at right angles to Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of a modified form of combined lewis and casket support for burial vaults; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of '5 combined lewis and casket support for burial vaults.

In connection with the installation of burial vaults and particularly when it is necessary to lower them into the ground from above, or to 55 raise them out of the recesses in the earth, cow

venient means is necessary for so handling them. In addition I have found that it is highly desirable to support the casket in spaced relation from the fioor wall of the burial vault so that the bottom of the casket is permanently maintained out of contact with the bottom of the burial vault, thereby be removed at er the casket has been lowered to its final position in the burial vault.

Certain aspects of the subject matter of my in 1 vention have been disclosed, but not claimed in. my co-pending application, Serial No. 449,919, filedMay 5, 1930, and relating to burial vaults, and the subject matter shown in Figs. 1, 2 and of the present application have been bodily with= drawn from said pending application.

In the present drawing, the burial vault shown comprises side walls 2 and a bottom wall 4 of the vault body proper. The cover is not shown, being unnecessary to the present disclosure. The vault or box body is preferably formed of laminated materialincluding inner and outer laminations or layers firmly united together to form a vault which is adapted to afford a maximum of resistance to the destructive or disintegrating efifects of moisture, frost, variations in temperatures and other conditions to which a burial vault or receptacle is subjected when in use.

The walls 2 of the vault or box body comprise, by preference, an inner asphaltic liner or lamination and an outer lamination or layer 8 of concrete or hydraulic cement preferably reinforced by suitable metallic elements. The laminations of concrete and asphalt are firmly united together by a suitable solvent such as kerosene or equivalent liquid hydrocarbon applied in the form of a coating to the surface of the inner asphaltic lamination after the latter has been cast in a heated, plastic condition in the manner set forth in my pending application aforesaid.

In general the inner asphaltic lamination 6 is first poured or cast over the outer side walls of a suitable mold and then when suitably dry, the solvent kerosene is coated on the outer asphaltic wall so as to render it adhesive. At this time the concrete lamination 8 is now cast directly upon the inner lamination 6 by means of an outer mold in the manner disclosed in my before-mentioned pending application.

During the process of'casting or forming these inner and outer laminations, I insert in the proper position the combined lewis and casket rests forming the subject matter of the present application. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, my improved lewis and casket rest comprises a substantially rmitting the lowering straps to staple-like upper portion having an aperture or eye 12 adapted to receve a hook, cable or other instrument so that when the combined lewis and casket rest is firmly imbedded in the floor of the burial vault, the latter may be raised or lowered from or into the earth. In addition, the combined lewis and casket rest also provides a shoulor formation of the burial vault.

der 14 integrally formed with the staple portion 10 which thus forms an ornate raised portion adapted to extend above the surface of the asphaltic lamination 6. Below the shoulder 14 the combined lewis and tenon is formed preferably as a rectangular plate 16, the upper surface of which is adapted to be flush with the surface of the asphaltic lamination 6. The under surface of the plate-like member 16 is ornate and of distinctive formation, and in addition is constructed and arranged to be firmly anchored or imbedded in the concrete lamination of the vault box or body. This bottom portion is formed as a tapered tenon 18 having an enlarged inverted wedge-shaped bottom or base 20. The staple portion 10, shoulder 14, base 16 with its wedge-shaped portion, are preferably in one integral piece. The tenon i8 is thus adapted to project into the concrete of the bottom lamination of the vauit body. Preferably the wedge-shaped tenon is formed with one or more transverse holes through which transverse anchor rods 22 are adapted to pass and to be imbedded in the concrete wall structure of the basal wall 2. These anchor rods have the dual func tion of firmly holding and anchoring the combined lewis and tenon in position and in addition, provide means for supporting the anchor rods 22 in suitable spaced relation, whereby to provide metallic reinforcing members for the concrete base lamination. In Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing I have shown the eye or staple portion 10 formed as a gracefully curving bow. It will be noted that there are four of these combined lewis and tenons and they are placed in such position as to support the bottom of the casket at its four corners, thereby holding the casket in spaced relation away from the bottom of the burial vault.

Instead of forming the staple 10 of the combined lewis and tenon in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, I may also form this portion of my device in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing where that portion of the lewis and tenon which projects above the asphaltic laminations 6 is formed with a substantially flat and horizontally extending face 24 to provide a relatively broad or extended support for the bottom of the casket. The recesses or the eye 26 is formed of sumcient dimensions to receive the hook or other implement for raising or lowering the casket. It will also be noted that the walls 28 and 30 are given a slight taper to facilitate their insertion into the slots in the mold as here-.

inafter described.

In inserting my combined lewis and tenons, they are placed in proper position during the casting For instance, before pouring or spreading the asphaltic material in a warm, liquid or plastic condition upon the top outer wall of the inner mold member, whereby to form the bottom asphaltic lamination or layer of the vault bottom, a set of my improved lewises are inserted into suitable openings or slotsin said bottom mold wall in position to project from the bottom of the vauxt body on the inside of the same when the vault or :"cep'tacle is completed, all as set forth in my -ioi mentioned pending application. When the; set in position the flange portion 14 fits into a similar shaped opening or slot in the mold wall with the eye portion or staple 10 projecting within the body of the mold. At this time the asphaltic lamination is poured or cast upon the outer wall of the mold and the asphalt will then flow and form about .the rec tangular basal portion 16 of the combined lewis and tenon in-the manner illustrated in the drawing. The reinforcing rods 22 are then arranged through the eyes or openings in the wedge-shaped base portion 20 and then when the outer mold is in position, the concrete lamination is cast or formed, so that when the concrete dries the wedge-shaped portions 18 and 20 and the reinforcing rods 22 will be firmly and permanently imbedded or anchored in the concrete body.

It will, of course, be obvious that the walls of my improved burial vault may be formed of other materials and in other ways and my combined lewis and tenon may have other shapes and arrangements, provided they include the features of novelty affording the useful functions herein described and claimed. It is also apparent that my combined lewis and tenon may be made in other ornate shapes than those herein set forth. It is also apparent that instead of having a set of four lewis and tenons for supporting the casket, any number down to a minimum of three may be utilized.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A combined lewis and casket rest comprising a metallic body having a substantially fiat base and a projecting staple or eye, said base having an integral projecting tapered tenon formed with an enlarged inverted wedge-shaped bottom, said bottom being perforated for the reception of reinforcing rods whereby when said tenon and rods are imbedded in concrete, the device will be an chored thereto.

2. A combined lewis and casket rest comprising an integral metallic fitting comprising a base having a substantially flat top, an upstanding shoulder formed on said top, and a bow-shaped staple projecting from said shoulder, said base having a portion extending oppositely from said staple and flaring outwardly, said outwardly flaring portion being provided with an opening for the reception of an anchorage rod.

3. A combined lewis and casket rest comprising a symmetrically shaped base having an upstanding flange provided with integral, laterally extending portion having an opening providing an eye, said portion having a fiat top forming an extending casket supporting portion and having adjacent tapered side and end walls, said base having an oppositely extending wedge-shaped portion, said wedge-shaped portion being provided with an aperture for tie reception of an anchorage rod.

4. A combined lewis and casket rest comprising a plate-like p rt. on having a wedge-shaped base extending from one side thereof and provided with an opening for the reception of an anchorage rod, and having a tapered staple projecting from the opposite side thereof, said staple being provided with an eye for the reception of a lifting too., the extreme end of said staple being formed as an extended substantially flat supporting surface adapted to support the underside of a casket.

WILBERT W. HAASE. 

